


Just a State of Mind

by PrincessStellaMLP



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Original, Feels, Gen, Just a State of Mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-19 18:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9455429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessStellaMLP/pseuds/PrincessStellaMLP
Summary: After many Genocide routes, the world had reset. This changed things, and sometimes not for the better. Sans is stuck in two main SMs (State of Mind). Childlike State of Mind and Lost State of Mind. Papyrus remembers the timelines and wants to help his older brother, but things start to not go as planned.





	1. Promise?

**CHAPTER 1:  
Promise?**

 

The world had been empty and cold for a while now. No monster had been alive in the underground for quite some time. Until one day, when the timeline had reset. Something was wrong though. There were quite a few differences in this new timeline. They weren’t subtle, like they usually were. They were big differences. Papyrus of the small town of Snowdin was awake. He was making spaghetti, which is what he does quite a bit. Sans, Papyrus’ older brother, woke up to his room feeling colder than usual. He slowly got out of his messy bed and put his slippers on. He walked over to his door and turned the cold handle. Closing the door behind him, Sans shuffled down the stairs and to the kitchen, where the familiar aroma of pasta was starting to fill the house. 

   “Good morning Sans!” Papyrus said, turning around to look at his brother. Sans looked back at Papyrus, feeling sleepier and more tired than usual. He felt it was more peaceful and quiet than usual.   


   “Good morning Papyrus….” Sans said quietly, sitting down at the table. Papyrus didn’t take note of how Sans was acting this morning. Papyrus turned back around and turned off the stove burner.   


   “Would  you like some spaghetti, brother?” Papyrus asked as he was turning the stove burner off.    


   “Sure….” Sans said, an unusual quietness and politeness in his reply. Papyrus got two plates and two forks out for him and his brother. He dished up the noodles onto the plates and put the sauce onto the steaming noodles. He set a plate and fork in front of Sans. Papyrus sat down at the table as well, putting a plate and fork where he sat. 

The warm steam that was coming off of the spaghetti warmed Sans’ skull. He felt this to be delightfully pleasant, despite not feeling temperatures, due to being a skeleton. The smell, which seemed to be more aromatic than usual, hit him and woke him up. His eyes opened wider. Papyrus looked at his older brother and the way his eyes were wide and how he was eating the spaghetti made him look almost like a child.     


   “Wow, you really like my spaghetti today, don’t you?” Papyrus asked. Sans looked up at his brother, eyes wide and sauce all over his mouth. He nodded.   

   “Thank you.” Sans smiled, finishing off the last of his spaghetti. Papyrus then noticed that something was…...off….   


   “Sans…...is something….wrong?” Papyrus asked as his brother got up and put his plate and fork into the sink.   


   “Huh? No….” Sans said softly as we wiped the sauce off his face with a paper towel. He put the used paper towel into the trash can, which he could visit anytime.   


   “You seem a bit…..different today….” Papyrus continued. A look of confusion appeared on Sans’ face as he turned around and made eye contact with Papyrus, who’s face was at the same height as Sans’, due to the fact that Papyrus was sitting down.   
“ You’re acting a bit strangely….” Papyrus explained. “You seem more quiet than usual. And more polite as well. You also seem to really like my spaghetti, genuinely like it. You also….just…..” Papyrus said, trying to find the right words to describe what he saw. “Just….the look in your eyes…..I saw happiness, mixed with delight and wonder……” Papyrus said, settling on the word selection. 

Sans cocked his head to the side, like a dog would do when confused.  “Oh….s-sorry….” Sans said looking down at the kitchen floor.    


   “See? That’s what I mean. You don’t usually act like this. I don’t remember this happening in any of the other time….lines……..” Papyrus said, trailing off during the last word.    


Sans looked up at him. “Timelines?” He asked, knowing what they were. He was confused on how his younger brother knew about them. 

   “I, uh… didn’t say timelines. If I did, i meant resets! Er, wait no, not that….uh…” Papyrus stuttered, tripping over his words. A wave of nervousness slashed over him.

   “You know about the timelines?” Sans asked in a soft voice. Papyrus hesitantly nodded.

   “But this is the first timeline that I was actually able to remember them.” He admitted. “Even the ones where Frisk, er, Chara...or..i don’t really know which one, killed us. I can somehow remember everything that happened after my death in those timelines as well. Your battle…..” Papyrus continued. 

   “M-my battle?” Sans said, worry showing through his words.

   “Yes…” Papyrus said. He stood up and pushed in his chair. Standing in front of his brother, he looked down at him. Sans could swear that there were tears in his younger brother's eyes as he gave Sans a caring, loving, and patient smile. Papyrus went onto his knees and looked right into Sans’’ eyes. 

   “Thank you, Sans. Thank you for avenging us. You really care about us, about me….” Papyrus said, the tears Sans had sworn he saw were real. They fell from Papyrus’ eyes and slid down his skull. He wrapped his long arms around his short brother and pulled Sans closer to him. 

   “I care about you more than anything in the world. You’re the only family I have.” Sans said as Papyrus hugged him tightly. His voice was shaky and quiet. He could feel his brother’s tears falling onto his shoulder, despite the hoodie he wore. Sans’ own eyes started to well as he hugged his brother back. Tears came from his eyes. Unlike how Papyrus was crying, which was mostly silent, Sans started to full on sob. Papyrus became worried, so he held Sans tighter. Sans cried hard. He released all the tears he had held back and kept hidden all those years and timelines. 

Papyrus let go and put his hands on Sans’s shoulders, still kneeling. He looked straight into his brother’s eyes, who was still crying. Sans wiped his eyes and wet skull with the sleeve of his cerulean coloured hoodie. He looked into Papyrus eyes, finding the love and warmth he needed. 

   “Sans…..” Papyrus said. “Something happened when the reset occurred. It affected me and you. I can remember the timelines and resets. And you? You….well...You’re opening up more...and you…” Papyrus said, wanting to say it without sounding offensive. “You are acting more like a….lost child….” Papyrus said. Sans’ eyes welled up with tears again. A single tear slid from his right eye, down his skull, and fell off his chin. 

   “My mind is different now. I d-don’t know why….” He said. “Help me, brother….” Sans said, his words sounding more and more like what a lost kid would say. How he was acting reflected that as well.    


“I will, Sans. I will help you as much as I can.” Papyrus said, truly wanting to help his older brother, who seemed more like his younger brother now. 

“P-promise?” Sans sniffed, looking at Papyrus.   


   “Promise.”   


   “I l-love you brother. Never leave me.”

   “I won’t Sans. I promise. I love you too.”   



	2. Help From Footsteps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Papyrus go to a friend for help.

**CHAPTER 2:  
Help From Footsteps**

 

Papyrus walked up to the door of the new Royal Scientist’s lab with Sans trailing behind him. He knocked on the door. Scrambling footsteps were heard on the other side. 

   “J-just a s-second!” A stuttering voice called out from inside the laboratory. The skittering footsteps got closer. The metal door slide up and opened. “O-oh! P-papyrus and S-sans!” The owner of the footsteps said. 

   “Hello Alphys!” Papyrus smiled, giving a name to the voice. 

   “Hi there.” Sans said softly while waving politely. Alphys looked confused by his unusual action.

“Alphys, we need your help.” Papyrus said with a sigh of concern. 

   “Oh! O-of course! Come in first th-though.” Alphys replied, stepping aside so the two brothers could enter. “N-now” Alphys said as the door shut behind them. She walked over to Papyrus. “What’s wrong?” She asked. Sans pointed to his head. 

   “My mind. It’s different now….” He said quietly.   
She looked at him with caring, but studying eyes. 

   “P-please explain further.” Alphys replied   


Sans looked up at Papyrus. “Could you explain it?” He asked. Papyrus nodded. 

   “Sans is now quieter and more...polite than before. He is also very sensitive and cries easily.” Papyrus looks down at Sans, who nods for him to go on. “He reminds me of a lost child…..” Papyrus explained. “He also seems to have two different ‘states’. Sometimes, he’ll be in a childlike state where he has childlike wonder in his eyes and he sees all the wonder in the world. Other times, he’ll be in a lost state, where he’s very sensitive, scared, sad, and quiet. The rest of the time, he’s a mix of the two.” Papyrus finished.    


Alphys listened the whole time. She was both intrigued and confused.

   “Is there any idea of what might have caused this?” Alphys asked.   


Sans and Papyrus both shrugged. Alphys thought more.

   “Any incidents that might have done something to his mind, mindset, and state of mind?”   


Sans and Papyrus both looked at each other, the same incident in their mind. 

   “There is one that might have done something.” Papyrus said.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of art I wanna draw and post for my story  
> But I have to wait until we actually get to that part  
> So that's the real reason to read this.  
> Just to see my strange art.  
> Because this story sucks.
> 
> Also  
> Sorry this chapter is short, I had to end it there for a few reasons :p


	3. Royal Scientist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alphys tries to help out Sans and Papyrus.

**CHAPTER 3:  
Royal Scientist**

 

   “The G-Genocide routes….” Sans said, looking at Alphys. Her eyes lit up as she connected the dots. 

   “Of c-course!” Alphys called out. “The Genocide routes m-must have t-traumatized you! Y-your mind converted to a s-state where you stay w-with the person you t-trust and love most!” Alphys explained.    


Sans looked at Papyrus. “You s-stay with Papyrus b-because you’re scared of…..something….” Alphys continued. Sans then looked at the scientist. 

   “What do you mean?” He asked, becoming slightly afraid for what might happen.    


   “My th-theory is that you’re s-scared of something from the G-Genocide routes…..It m-might be the k-killer….” Alphys suggested.   


   “Frisk and Chara?” Papyrus asked. When Papyrus said these names, Sans tensed up and froze.    


   “Y-yes, i think that’s i-it!” Alphys said. “N-now, this m-may be just a temporary th-thing. It’s just a state of mind. Y-your mind. Once y-you ‘recover’ from t-the incident, y-you’ll most l-likely convert b-back to your n-normal self.” Alphys looked at Sans.   


   “Most likely?” Sans looked at Alphys with a confused expression.    


   “There i-is a chance that y-you might not g-go back to n-normal….” Alphys sighed. “BUT! It’s a v-very small ch-chance!” She called out loudly, trying to cheer him up.    


   “So, he’s going to be alright?” Papyrus hoped. Alphys smiled and nodded. 

   “Yup. J-just give it t-time.” She replied. 

   “Thank you, Alphys.” Papyrus said gratefully.   


   “Th-thank you…..” Sans quietly spoke. Papyrus and Sans started to walk out of the lab.    


   “W-wait, Sans! C-can I speak t-to you for a s-second?” Alphys asked. Both skeletons turned around. Papyrus looked down at his older brother and nodded.    


   “I’ll wait for you outside.” Papyrus smiled, and walked out the lab’s metal door. It closed behind him with a loud clank. Sans walked over to his friend.    


   “I w-wanted to ask you s-something.” Alphys looked at Sans. “I k-know you don’t really l-like to r-remember the p-past, but i was th-thinking…” She continued. “W-would you maybe like t-to become a s-scientist again and work w-with me?” Alphys asked, hoping he’d agree.   


After a few moments of silence, Sans spoke. 

   “I….i’ll think about it…” Sans looked at her.    


   “O-okay!” Alphys said, with a bit of awkward laughter. “S-see you later, S-sans.” She waved a little bit.    


Sans nodded.  “Bye…” He said politely. He turned around and walked to the metal door. It opened with a sound of wind and closed behind him with a clank. Papyrus was waiting for Sans right outside of the Royal Laboratory.    


   “What was that about?” Papyrus asked as they started to walk in the direction of Snowdin.    


   “Alphys asked me if I wanted to become a scientist again and work with her as her partner. She said she knew that I didn’t like remembering the past.” Sans sighed.   


   “Da-....Gaster?” Papyrus looked at his brother. Sans nodded silently. “What did you say?” He asked.   


   “I told her I’d think about it….” Sans continued walking, but Papyrus had not. Sans realized that his brother had stopped, so he turned around. “What?” He was confused.   


   “What do you mean, you’ll think about it? You should totally do it!” Papyrus exclaimed. “You should go back into the lab and agree!” He looked at his brother with bright eyes. “Sans…..I want to see you do something in your life.” Papyrus continued. “And maybe you’ll find a way to get you back to normal quicker!” He looked into Sans’ eyes.    


   “I…..Okay…” Sans said, returning his brother’s stare.    


   “Then go do it.” Papyrus smiled encouragingly. Sans turned around and started to run in the direction of the Royal Lab. 

Sans’ eyes were wide as he ran back inside Alphys’ lab. “Alphys!” He called out happily. The scientist looked up from what she was doing and turned around.   


   “S-sans?” She looked at him.    


   “I’ll do it! I’ll be your partner!” Sans smiled, due to currently being in his “childlike” state.   


   “W-what? R-really?” Alphys asked, excited. The skeleton nodded. “Great!” She smiled. “J-just, uh…...meet me here t-tomorrow at 8.” Alphys smiled. Sans nodded once again and turned around. Alphys turned around, but did not look back at her work. Sans ran back outside the lab and once Alphys heard the loud clank of the door closing, she finally looked back down at her work. Her smile disappeared as she looked up at the computer screen and back at the papers she had been looking at.    


   “We’ll find you.” Alphys sighed sadly, looking at the computer screen, which was filled with symbols.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe  
> Character tease maybe?  
> Anyone think they know who it is?
> 
> Also sorry for any errors or mistakes in these chapters. There might be a word that's plural or another form of the word and it doesn't make sense in the context.  
> My mistake.
> 
> Just point them out to me in the comments and I'll fix them for future readers.


	4. "Oh, here you are"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans makes a promise, but can he keep it?  
> (Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z)  
> (No jk about that DBZ thing)

CHAPTER 4:   
  
“Oh, here you are…”

Sans went over to Alphys’ lab the next morning. He knocked on the metal door, waiting for her to open it. He heard her footsteps scrambling around on the other side. Finally, the door slid up and open. Alphys looked frantic and her glasses were askew. She fixed their placement on her lizard snout.    
  


“O-oh! Sans!” She said, seeming a bit out of breath, hoping her new partner wouldn’t question why she looked so frantic and tired.    
  


“Hi…” He looked at her, but didn’t ask anything. With a sigh of relief, Alphys stepped aside.    
  


“C-come in!” She gestured towards the lab. Sans entered the building and the door closed behind him. Metallic clanking was heard coming from upstairs. It got closer as whoever owned the clanking started to come to where Sans and Alphys stood. Sans saw the hot pink boots of a robot coming down the stairs.    
  


“Alphys, darling, is your new partner here already?” A voice spoke politely in a strangely familiar way.    
  


“Uh, M-mettaton! Yes, he’s here! You can go now!” Alphys said, rushing the words and looking nervous. Mettaton came down the stairs and stood in front of the two.    
  


“Alphys, I want to show my new programming to Sans.” Mettaton said, again in the polite voice. “You based it off how he is now anyway.” The robot continued calmly. Alphys’ eyes shot over at Sans, then at Mettaton, then back at Sans.    
  


“UHHHHHH” Alphys’ eyes were wide with panic. “WELLLLLL M-MAYBE I DID……” She looked at Mettaton.    
  


“Alphys said she liked how you were and decided to program me like that too, with my consent of course.” Mettaton smiled. He looked down at his wrist, which had a digital watch built into it.   
  


“I must go, darlings, but i’ll be back later. Be safe.” Mettaton looked at the two, giving them a small polite smile before walking out.    
  


“So…..” Sans looked at Alphys.    
  


“D-Don’t judge me!” Alphys blurted out, her face turning red with embarrassment.    
  


“Nah, it’s k Alphys…..” Sans replied with a nice smile. “Anyway…….what’re you working on currently?” The skeleton asked her.    
  


“W-well, right now, I’m w-working on this m-machine that Ga-...The old Royal S-Scientist had made, but it had b-blown up. I’m t-trying to fix i-it.” Alphys explained.    


“Okay. Let’s get to work.” Sans patiently smiled.  
  
  
  
Sans woke up that night, crying and sweating. The dream, no, nightmare, he had felt so real. It felt more like a memory, which Sans knew that it actually was. The room was dark, but everything had a slight, glowing light blue hue to their lighting. He looked down at his hands, which caught some of his dripping tears, giving them a glow that came from his glowing blue tears. Realizing he was hyperventilating, Sans slowed down his breath. 

 

He was shaking as he took the covers of his bed off from over his legs and stood up. The skeleton walked over to his dresser and took something from a small box that rested upon the top of the wooden drawers. Whatever he had removed from the box clanked against itself, making a small noise every time movement of Sans caused the item to move as well. Wiping his eyes, Sans quietly walked to his bedroom door, the carpet under his feet keeping his tiptoeing footsteps silent. He slowly opened his door, trying to keep the door hinges from squeaking. The crying skeleton stepped out of his room and closed the door quietly behind him.

 

He moved down the hall, holding the item tightly in his boney hand. Sans quietly and slowly entered his younger brother’s bedroom. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He stepped silently over to his brother, listening closely to his breathing and making sure he wasn’t awake yet. Sans stood next to Papyrus’ bed, still holding the item close to him.    


“Papyrus” he whispered. When there was no reply, he tried again, this time putting his free hand on his brother’s arms and subtly shaking it. “Papyrus…..”    
  


After a few tries of this, Papyrus finally awoke. He sat up a bit and looked at Sans. “S-Sans?” He said, sleepily. His eyes opened a bit wider when he saw the tears on his older brother’s skull.   
  
“Papyrus!” Sans blurted out, grabbing his brother’s hand, which startled the brother. Tears filled his eyes. “P-promise you won’t die on me!” He cried and squeezed Papyrus’ hand harder.   
  


“W-what? Sans, are you okay?” Papyrus asked, worried and confused.   
  


“Just promise me! Promise you won’t die on me!” Sans pleaded, tears spilling down his face.    
  


“Sans! I….I promise….I won’t die on you” Papyrus hoped that Sans would stop crying; his brother’s tears always made him worried. Sans pulled Papyrus closer and hugged him and cried. 

 

“I p-promise…..I won’t die on you either….” Sans sniffed, crying like a child. Papyrus hugged his brother back, hoping he was okay. Sans let go and Papyrus noticed something around his own neck. A blue heart on a chain had been put on Papyrus by Sans during the hug.    
  


“I-it’s a p-promise necklace….” Sans smiled, wiping his tears. He put on his own promise necklace and looked up at his brother with sad eyes. “We can p-promise on these. Whenever we l-look at these, we’ll remember the p-promises we m-made on them.” He explained.   
  


Papyrus smiled at Sans. “Don’t worry. It’ll all be okay.” Sans gave him a slight half-nod.   
  


“G-good night b-brother. I…...I love you…..” Sans held tight onto the heart charm, tears still flooding down his face.

 

“Good night, Sans. I love you too.” Papyrus said, wiping Sans’ tears away with his red scarf. Sans held onto the scarf and cried into it. He looked up and smiled sadly. Letting Papyrus take the scarf back, Sans walked over to the door. He glanced at Papyrus and gave him a small goodbye wave. Papyrus waved back. He layed back down as Sans exited the room and quietly closed the door behind him. 

 

Teleporting back to his own room, Sans collapsed on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, which was dimly lit from his now slow tears and the “moonlight” of the underground that flooded in through his window. Sans sighed and started to softly sing. 

 

“Oh here you are….   
and you’re all you wished to be    
you’re alive and you’re not alone   
not alone, in this.   
  
So, close your eyes    
hear the whole world call your name   
and you answer “Please don’t go…   
"Please don’t go away…”   
  
All I know is here and now    
and right away   
Call me here I will appear    
by the light of day   
  
  
All of the words of the songs we all will sing mean the same thing that’s not “Goodbye” no it’s not “Go away”   
  
Mom...   
Bye…..   
Dad….

Bye….   
  
Call my name it holds the strength    
of my embrace   
All i seem to hear   
my prayer, don’t go away   
  
  
All of your life you’ve been holding on to just one thing and it calls you “Please don’t go "Please don’t go away”   
  
[ ((Listen to the song here! Julian's song is from Orbiting Human Circus. I do not own this song or it's lyrics.)) ](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz3modp1rQOvY1cwSTJSSTBmbGs)

 

As the song dwindled to an end, Sans slipped away into a sleep that granted him the gift of his first real “dream” that he has had in a very, very long time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Sans sings can be heard by clicking that link up there!
> 
> This is Julian's Song from The Orbiting Human Circus (of the air)  
> I do not own the song!  
> Please check out OHC! It's a great podcast made by the same people who made Welcome to Night Vale!  
> Sorry for not updating for a while. I'm posting new chapters today, tomorrow, Tuesday, AND Wednesday!  
> I'm glad you guys like this!  
> I will post art for this fic later when I can get them done.

**Author's Note:**

> The style of writing may differ from one chapter to another. That's because I'll be writing these at different places and times (School at Lunch, In bed at like 3 AM, etc.) So don't dwell on the writing style changes too much.


End file.
